


This is the Afterparty

by Deeambles



Series: To avoid writers block I wrote... [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, Flashbacks, Gen, Hopeful Ending, but hes technically dead at the start so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:15:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26071765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deeambles/pseuds/Deeambles
Summary: If the priest is right, Tobirama has likely been dead for months, not hours.
Relationships: Senju Hashirama & Uchiha Madara
Series: To avoid writers block I wrote... [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1892704
Comments: 12
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

There is silence in the office, the bustle of the village outside barely even a background noise against the atmosphere of the room.

Madara sits off to the side in the curve of the window purposely not propped up on Hashirama’s desk. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever be able to do that again without reminding his friend of someone else....

Tobirama is 10 hours dead

Tobirama raised a kunai against Hashirama 11 hours ago. Hashirama spent the better part of the hour trying to deescalate the situation, _(it’s my brother Madara! He’s trying to kill you, you idiot!_ ) and then probably another 10 minutes restraining him.

The last 10 minutes of the hour Madara has engraved into his mind forever. Like Izuna’s death he’s doomed to never forget how Tobirama slips his restraints and nearly takes off Hashirama’s head. Madara, on the other side of the room could only watch in horror as Tobirama nearly succeeds where Madara’s _too slow_ and Hashirama _hasn’t turned around._

It never connected, Tobirama faltered, a flash of something beneath all of his hatred and if Madara didn’t know any better he’d say it was fear.

But it wasn’t. Madara knows it wasn’t in the same way he knows his own name. Tobirama was never scared of anything. Not scared of life, not death, not rules or morals or ethics or anything that might constrain someone else.

For whatever reason he’d faltered, constrained by whatever that emotion behind the mask really was. The split second gave Hashirama’s perfect defense the time to come to his aid. When Tobirama falls to the ground from being stabbed by Mokuton, Hashirama, the damned idiot still managed to cry over him.

He cried but he didn’t lift his hands to heal. Tobirama spent his last moments alive staring at his older brother with hatred and malice and the last words he ever spoke cut straight into Madara and Madara wasn’t even the intended target.

_“Is this what you wanted older brother,” he’d sneered, blood trickling out of his mouth, “I’ll make sure to let Itama and Kawarma know.”_

Hashiramas hands has flickered green then, insecurity written in his bones. The fucking gall of the Senju, to bring up dead little brothers. Madara would spit on his grave if it wouldn’t make Hashirama burst into tears. It wasn’t Hashirama’s choice not to save Tobirama after all.

_“He wasn’t always like this!” Hashirama defends, “you remember! Just after that mission he took it got worse...”_

_“Hashirama, does it matter? He’s acting like a self-destructing tag now, don’t let yourself get caught in the blast.”_

_“I can’t not save him, Madara, surely you understand that.” Hashirama tries. He’s bypassed frustrated and hysteric straight into determined and that means compromise._

_Madara scoffs to hide his true feelings, “fine but promise me this. If he really goes against you, you won’t lift a single green hand to help him. The demon can heal himself.”_

_The logic being, a precedent must not be set. Family nor friend can’t raise a hand to their leader and get away with a slap on the wrist. This is village rules but when it boils down to it, it’s always been clan rules. Hashirama cannot argue this, Madara knows, and this is why he says it._

_Hashirama must agree or else Madara can pry forth how many times Tobirama has raised a hand to Hashirama in the past. Past grievances or future grievances, Hashirama must decide which he’ll subject his brother to. And there will be future issues, Madara knows it like he knows when Hashirama turns away, he’s really praying that Tobirama won’t raise a hand to him, is praying he’ll figure out a loophole to give his last little brother another chance even when he doesn’t deserve it._

_Madara only relaxes when even quieter than before, Hashirama whispers an agreement._

_“Fine.”_

So yes, the shinobi of Konoha were immensely surprised to find their Hokage in office today. Madara would also be surprised if he knew that Hashirama came here last night after.... _that_ and never left.

“Hashirama,” Madara says softly. He can’t be kind; his own little brother is dead to Tobirama’s hand and his best friend nearly met the same fate last night too but... he can be considerate.

Hashirama hums and it’s low in his chest and sounds more like a noise that’s stuck.

“Did the priest come?” He asks. There was something wrong with Tobirama and shinobi like to flaunt themselves on being better than civilians but really their only better killers. Civilians make the good priests.

“Yes,” Hashirama says. His voice is worn down and rough from hours of crying.

“This morning.”

Madara sighs softly, standing and walking to organize paperwork on Hashirama’s desk. After a minute Hashirama finally turns away from the window.

“When I was younger, I promised Tobirama and Itama that they wouldn’t die in vain.”

Madara doesn’t pause where he’s filling out some construction approval form but he does glance up to show his attention.

“The priest was unnerved.”

That makes Madara stop dead.

“What?” He asks confused. The priest was? Could that mean—

Hashirama smiles and it’s watery and small and absolutely pathetic.

“The priest said his body probably hasn’t been his for a while now.”

Hashirama’s crying and Madara gets up, walks around the desk and pulls his friend into the tightest hug he manage.

Madara’s little brother died honorably in battle.

If the priest is right... technically Tobirama did too... probably months ago.

That fucking mission north, he realizes, the one that took the Senju past no man’s land and that stupid elephant graveyard. Madara hates Tobirama but for Hashirama--

“We’ll find it.” Madara says, a fire in his voice lit upon injustice and the need for revenge for the sake of his friend, his family. Nothing is ever just a ghost like the civilians preach. It’s dangerous, if it caught Tobirama of all stubborn people they’ll have to consult the priests again, Madara knows.

Hashirama is still crying into his shoulder but his tears recede enough to agree,

“It’ll never know what hit it.”

\--Madara would burn the world down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cough* Zetsu *cough*


	2. Chapter 2

having technical problems, ignore this T-T


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